Walmart steps up to end food deserts

Sadly, millions of Americans live in communities where finding a cheeseburger is much easier than finding an apple. Known as food deserts, these communities tend to have a higher prevalence of obesity, type 2 diabetes and poverty.

Data we have helped collect at the California Endowment, a private health foundation, shows that lack of access to healthful foods is a key contributor to obesity and chronic disease that costs the U.S. health care system billions of extra dollars and cuts thousands of lives short every year. Research also shows that when those same Americans have better access to healthy foods, they change their eating habits and these new habits lead to reductions in obesity.

That’s why we are pleased to see Walmart unveil its new Healthier Food Initiative. As the country’s largest grocer, Walmart has the power to dramatically impact people’s health, or as first lady Michelle Obama said when she joined Walmart in announcing the new initiative, “the potential to transform the marketplace.”

We know that people choose from foods that are readily available to them. By requiring suppliers to change the formula for thousands of everyday packaged food items to reduce sodium and sugar, and to remove trans fat, Walmart is saying it’s time for all food retailers to think about the quality and health impact of the products they sell. Pricing these improved packaged foods at prices comparable to their less healthy counterparts helps consumers make the healthier choice the easy choice.

Walmart’s commitment to build stores in under-served areas is also great step forward. In California, lower-income communities have 20 percent fewer healthy food sources than higher-income ones. Studies have shown that with each additional supermarket in a census tract, fruit and vegetable consumption increases.

But what excites me most about Walmart’s actions is its commitment to lower the price of produce. Low-income families struggle to access fresh fruits and vegetables — even when they are readily available — due to cost. Parents have to make tough decisions when feeding their families. Sometimes volume trumps nutrition simply because of cost. Unfortunately, those are most often the least healthy choices. Walmart’s commitment to lower produce prices could help many parents serve more healthful fare to their families on a consistent basis.

These are promising steps made by the largest retailer in America. Walmart’s actions present a challenge to other food retailers to follow the company’s lead. Moving forward, we urge food retailers and their suppliers to build on Walmart’s leadership by:

–Promoting healthy products by giving them prime shelf space or making a commitment to place them on end-cap displays;

–Further reducing sugar content. With all the evidence we have linking sugar to health issues like obesity and diabetes, we urge more than a 10 percent sugar content reduction;

–Partnering with the Institute of Medicine and the Food and Drug Administration to write standards for all grocery stores and all food manufacturers.

Other food retailers are sure to follow Walmart if they want to remain competitive.

We look forward to the day when every person has the information, resources and choices needed to live a healthy lifestyle.

Marion Standish is director of Community Health for the California Endowment’s 10-year strategic program, Building Healthy Communities.